Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the reasons were for the decision that the voucher scheme would give universal credit claimants £100 a time rather than the monthly paid benefit payable under the simple payment method.

The simple payment service is being replaced by a new payment service. Customers can still receive payment at a PayPoint outlet but payment will be limited to £100 per transaction. Customers with higher than £100 entitlement can make multiple transactions at the same PayPoint outlet on the same day, subject to funds available from that outlet. The Department continues to encourage and support benefit customers, where possible, to receive payment via a bank, building society or a credit union account which does not have a similar restriction.